Medical dressing



June 27, 1967 J. E. MILLER ETAL 3,327,705

MEDICAL DRESSI Filed Jul 1965' 2 IN VE N TORS MELVIN SPIRA JORDAN E. MIL

A T TOR/V5 Y United States Patent 3,327,705 MEDICAL DRESSING Jordan E. Miller and Melvin Spira, Houston, Tex., as-

signors to the Dow Corning Corporation, Midland, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed July 7, 1965, Ser. No. 469,990 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-165) The present invention relates to medical dressings and more particularly to medical dressings containing siloxane or silicone fluid compositions.

There are many reports in the literature pertaining to the inertness of silicone fluids as used in ointments and barrier creams for the skin, and various types of silicone implants have been made into the bodies of animals and humans. Silicones have also been used heretofore in medical dressings. See, for example, US. Pat. No, 2,727,846, dated Dec. 20, 1955. Considerable work has been done in the investigation of the use of silicones for treatment of skin ailments and burn wounds on animals and humans, and considerable medical evidence tends to indicate that silicones of various types are useful in such treatments.

Particularly in the treatment of burn wounds it is desirable to keep the wounds as sterile as possible. It is also desirable to keep the wounds soft and pliable. It is further desirable in severe burn cases to allow the patient some degree of freedom so that burned portions of the body may be exercised to prevent stiffness and loss of use of the joints of burned body members. This is generally particularly true in the case of burns on hands, arms, feet, or legs wherein permanent disability often develops as a result of a burn.

In the past some use has been made of gauze bandages to hold silicone-containing salves or ointments and other substances in contact with the burned areas. Gauze bandages, however, have certain inherent disadvantages. They restrict body movements. They must somehow be fastened in place-usually by adhesive tape which cannot be placed directly on a burn. They tend to stick to the fluids and exudate developed in the burned area and are dilficult and painful to remove. They are, further, difiicult to keep sterile.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved medical dressing.

A further object is to provide a medical dressing particularly suitable for burns on body extremities and which avoids the aforementioned and other prior art disadvantages.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a medical dressing comprising a liquid-tight envelope or bag, of plastic or the like, which is adapted to fit loosely over and envelop the burned area; the envelope being loosely sealed against the body at a point remote from the burned area. Inside the envelope there is placed a quantity of silicone fluid either alone or together with any desired medicinal agents and, if desired, a quantity of absorbent fibrous or sponge-like compressible material which can be grasped by the patient and squeezed for exercising and fluid circulation and filtration purposes.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. I is a view in perspective of a sealed sterile dress- 3,327,7fl5 Patented June 27, 1967 ing made in accordance with the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the dressing in use on the hand of a patient.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the views there is shown in FIG. 1 an envelope or bag 11 which is made of liquid-tight material such as plastic or the like. Inside the envelope 11 is a quantity of fluid 12 and a quantity of absorbent fibrous or sponge-like material 13 which may be, for example, absorbent cotton. The fluid 12 is preferably a silicone fluid of low enough viscosity to allow it to flow readily.

In manufacture, the envelope 11 and its contents are sterilized and the envelope is sealed. When the dressing is to be applied, one end of the sealed envelope is cut off to open that end and the body portion to be treated is inserted into the open end. The open end is then secured to the body of the patient by means such as adhesive tape 14 as shown in FIG. 2. Obviously, the point at which the dressing is secured to the body may be some distance from the burn wound.

The wad of fibrous material 13 may be grasped and squeezed as an exerciser. For example, as the hand squeezes the material the muscles of the hand are exercised. A further function is accomplished by this action. Fluid is forced from the fibers and is caused to circulate over the alfected area. The absorbent material readily absorbs additional fluid when the pressure is released. Thus a pumping action results. Additionally, a filtering action is also accomplished whereby as the fluid flows in and out of the fibrous material, particles suspended in the fluid are trapped in the material, thereby helping to keep the fluid clean. Also, moisture and burn exudate will be absorbed and retained by the absorbent material.

In a particular embodiment of the invention which has been used, the envelope was of polyethylene, the fibrous material was absorbent cotton and the fluid used was Dow Corning Medical Fluid 360, 100 centistokes viscosity. This fluid is a trimethylsiloXy-endblocked dimethylpolysiloxane fluid which falls within the generic designations silicone or organosiloxanes. It has the general formula: (CH SiO[(CH SiO] Si(CH wherein the value of x indicates the chain length and bears a direct relationship to the viscosity. Fluids of this type are described in the literature and need not be described here in great detail.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention described above will be obvious to those skilled in the art. The materials of the envelope and fibrous material and the type of fluid used may be varied. Various medicinal agents could be added to the fluid, if desired, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The size of the envelope may be varied to suit needs. The amount of fluid contained in the envelope must be suificient to coat the wounded area contained in the envelope and should also contain suflicient excess fluid to allow fluid circulation.

Other modifications and variations may also become apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore within the scope of the appended claims it is to be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

That which is claimed is:

l. A medical dressing comprising a liquid-tight sealed envelope containing a silicone fluid medium and a quantity of fibrous absorbent material freely suspended in said fluid.

2. A dressing as defined in claim 1 wherein said absorbent material is absorbent cotton.

3. A dressing as defined in claim 1 wherein said silicone fluid is an endblocked dimethylpolysilcxane fluid.

4. A method of treating a burn Wound on a body extremity comprising inserting said body extremity into a liquid-tight envelope, providing a quantity of silicone fluid within said envelope, and providing a quantity of absorbent material in said silicone fluid, and squeezing said absorbent material whereby said fluid is caused to circulate over said burn Wound.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MEDICAL DRESSING COMPRISING A LIQUID-TIGHT SEALED ENVELOPE CONTAINING A SILICONE FLUID MEDIUM AND A QUANTITY OF FIBROUS ABSORBENT MATERIAL FREELY SUSPENDED IN SAID FLUID. 